Jennifer Rubin, a contributor to MSNBC and a columnist for the Washington Post, has criticized the mainstream media for their portrayal of the late president Donald Trump. In an MSNBC interview, Rubin accused the media of “normalizing” Trump by sanitizing his language and portraying him as less controversial than he actually is. Rubin spoke with host Ali Velshi.
Rubin addressed Velshi’s comment in the broadcast that viewers often express a dislike for seeing information related to Trump on their shows. She attributed this reaction to the media’s failure to accurately represent Trump’s remarks and demeanor. “The mainstream media has cleaned up the rhetoric so he sounds in a clip or he reads in print much more coherent than he actually is,” Rubin stated.
Additionally, Rubin faulted the media for presenting the Republican Party in the same light as the Democratic Party, thereby painting Trump as a “cartoon character” or as “not so bad.” She asserted that this misleading equilibrium stems from the media’s resistance to upholding the truth.
Rubin also referred to Trump’s supporters as belonging to a “fascist cult,” suggesting that their behavior is illogical and reminiscent of earlier fascist regimes. Millions of people can fall in love with an authoritarian and act irrationally as a result, she observed.
Furthermore, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow provided her analysis on the situation, detailing the network’s decision to omit Trump’s speech after his victory in the Iowa caucuses. Maddow emphasized that live airing lies on television would harm MSNBC’s brand and image. “There is a cost to us, as a news organization, of knowingly broadcasting untrue things,” she said.
Following his victory in the Iowa caucuses, Trump expressed gratitude to all and claimed to feel honored. He considered the triumph notable, given the strong and formidable opposition he faced.
The continuing debates on MSNBC are a reflection of discussions about how media outlets should cover controversial political figures like Trump. Rubin and Maddow’s criticism highlights problems with media accountability and the way political personalities are portrayed in news stories.